Though 96% of Americans believe indoor air quality impacts physical and mental health, survey finds knowledge gap in how respondents are addressing this issue

Poor indoor air quality continues to act as a silent threat, and according to a recent survey from Blueair, Americans remain at odds with the conditions inside their own residence. A leader in air purification solutions, Blueair’s new quantitative survey found 81% of Americans report they suffer from “negative” symptoms when in their home, with 48% of individuals naming allergies and 41% identifying nasal congestion as the main culprits. In addition, 80% of Americans believe that clean indoor air results in a healthier home environment.

Despite these health concerns and awareness of the benefits of clean indoor air, 1-in-5 Americans believe that there is no effective way to clean air in a home, and nearly 1-in-4 are uncertain if a solution exists. This awareness gap means many consumers are not taking important steps like changing HVAC filters and using air purifiers to improve their air quality.

Below are additional findings from the quantitative survey and qualitative focus group of US adults.

Consumers reported their health was impacted by indoor air quality: When asked which factors of health are directly impacted by air quality, the most commonly selected answer was respiratory health (75%), followed by sleep quality (61%), skin health (47%) and physical health (47%).

Consumers reported that air quality impacts sleep: 65% of survey respondents state they are woken up at least once a night due to breathing or respiratory issues such as allergies or asthma. However, air purifier users are more likely to rate their typical night’s sleep as “good” (54%) than those without (47%).
Respondents with dogs and cats face barriers: 77% of survey participants who rate their sleep as “bad” allow pets to spend time in their bedroom, with 78% of respondents agreeing that dander in the home can affect household air quality, which in turn impacts sleep quality.
Parents rank air purifiers number one: Adding an air purification solution to a child’s bedroom is the number one step that parents took to help their child to sleep through the night, according to the quantitative survey, ranking higher than blackout curtains and sound machines.
Many Americans neglect routine air filter changes: 20% of survey respondents haven’t changed their air filter in over 6 months, and over 40% only do so when they notice “stuffy air” or a negative impact on their or a household member’s health.
Air concerns differ by generation: Overall dust or dust mites are the indoor air quality factors most concerning to Americans (64%), followed by mold or mildew odors (55%) and pollen (44%). However, younger Americans (Gen Z and millennials) are more concerned about VOCs than their older counterparts (27% vs. 19%).
Most Americans aren’t aware of the connection between skin health and air quality: Only 25% of survey respondents say they improved the air quality in their home to benefit their skin. According to NYC board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Ryan Turner, “introducing an air purifier can help reduce harmful airborne particles at home to support overall skin health.”

“At Blueair, the clear connection between air quality and overall health is why we are determined to help give consumers the information they need to take critical steps to improve the health of their home,” says Blueair North America GM Andy Lu. “We’re hopeful that these findings will spotlight the negative impact of poor indoor air quality and encourage consumers, to take action.”

According to the Allergy and Asthma Network, “the best first steps consumers can take to improve their indoor air quality are to regularly change their HVAC filters and add air purifiers to highly trafficked rooms like the living room, kitchen and bedroom.”

To learn more about Blueair’s air purification technology and the pollutants that Blueair removes from the air, visit blueair.com.

Research Methodology

The research conducted consisted of two parts: a quantitative survey of 1,002 U.S.-based adults and qualitative digital focus group with ~65 participants. For the quantitative portion, the survey was fielded using the Qualtrics Insight Platform, and the panel was sourced from Lucid. Fielding was executed in September 2022. 52% of respondents owned an air purifier. For the qualitative research, digital focus group participants provided their own unique responses to open-ended questions and voted on others’ responses as well. The session took place over a 60-minute duration on October 18, 2022.

About Blueair

Blueair is a world leading producer of air purification solutions for home and professional use. Founded in Sweden, Blueair delivers innovative, best-in-class, energy efficient products and services sold in over 60 countries around the world. Blueair is part of the Unilever family of brands.